Eclipse
by KKJeanne
Summary: Her whole planet was destroyed....everything she ever knew and loved was killed, destroyed, turned to dust, left to blow away in the wind... now the same force that did that to her planet is causing her to do it to ours...
1. Chapter 1

She stared at her once thriving planet, now nothing more than smoldering ashes. She tried to turn away from it, but everywhere she looked, it was there. She whished she had a shoulder to cry on, but they had taken even her beloved Kurai.   
  
"Kurai," she whispered. "Where have you gone?" She knew he wasn't dead...she hoped so, at least. Perhaps, perhaps he was just gone...gone to another planet, inhabiting another body. It is the spirit that lasts forever, she reminded herself, not the body. If that was true, then his spirit was out there, somewhere, perhaps asking the same questions she was.  
  
She turned, and walked down from the high hill on which she stood. The wind ruffled her long dark hair, and at the same time, seemed to whisper the young princess's name...  
  
"...Eclipse..."  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Usagi?" cried Shingo, trying to talk through his laughter, "You? A tutor?"  
  
"Yes, me, a tutor!" said Usagi, staring at her 19-year-old younger brother. He had grown into a handsome young man, as tall as Mamoru with glittering green eyes and soft brown hair. He was charming too, to just about every one but his sister. "It's a community service project one of my professors assigned to us! We have to help out younger people in some way, and I chose tutoring! The girl's name is Shinda Kaiki."  
  
Shingo tried to insult Usagi some more, but he couldn't through his laughter.  
  
"Oh, shut up, Shingo!" said Usagi.  
  
"You two, stop fighting!" exclaimed Mr. Tsukino, peering over the newspaper at them. "Fight someplace else besides my breakfast table!"  
  
"I think it's wonderful that Usagi is tutoring," put in Mrs. Tsukino.  
  
"And, if I do I decent job, and we all know I will, I'll get an A for the year. You know what the means?" asked Usagi.  
  
"What?" asked everyone.  
  
"I'll graduate from college this year AND I wont have to take summer school!" Before her brother could make a remark, Usagi heard a knock at the door. "That's Mamo! Bye every one!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That afternoon, Usagi came home with a younger girl, probably fifteen or sixteen, trailing behind her. She had bright green hair in a large bun on either side of her head. She had matching eyes. Her skin was light, but not extremely. She was short, only an inch or two taller than Usagi's petite 4 feet 11 inches. She looked delicate, like if she tripped, she'd break when she fell to the floor.  
  
The house was empty, except for the two girls, of course. Usagi decided to lay out their supplies on the kitchen table.  
  
"Are you hungry?" she asked Kaiki.  
  
"Uh-huh!" said the small girl with a nod. Usagi laughed.  
  
"So'm I, I'm always hungry!" Kaiki smiled at the older girl, she liked her immediately.   
  
Usagi got out a snack, and then they began to do some math problems. Most of them Kaiki ended up explaining to Usagi, but she did so in a way that Usagi still felt as though she were doing the tutoring, not Kaiki.  
  
About a half an hour into the tutoring session, Shingo walked in.   
  
"Kai-chan," said Usagi, motioning to her brother. "This is my brother, Shingo."  
  
"Hi, Shingo," said Kai. She immediately liked the older boy, for some reason she couldn't place. The older boy seemed to barely notice her.  
  
"Hey, Kai," said Shingo. He grabbed a snack, and left the room.   
  
"That's brothers for you!" said Usagi with a shrug. Kai nodded.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ohmigod!!" exclaimed Usagi. "Mamoru and I are going out in fifteen minutes! Oh no! What am I gonna do?" She and Kai had been at the table for a while, helping each other with homework and she had lost track of the time. "How'm I gonna get you home?"  
  
As if on cue, Shingo walked into the room. "Shingo! My most favoritest darling younger brother dearest!"  
  
"Nope," he said.  
  
"What do you mean 'Nope'?! You don't even know what I was going to ask!"  
  
"No, but I already know the answer. 'Nope'," he said.  
  
"But why?" asked Usagi, whining.  
  
"Because, I'm going to hang out with some people from school," said Shingo.  
  
"Its ok," said Kai. "I can walk home."  
  
"No you can't!" exclaimed Usagi. "You live on the opposite side of Tokyo!"  
  
"Its okay, really. I like walking," Kaiki said.  
  
"Where exactly do you live?" asked Shingo with a sigh. Kai explained it to him. "Well, I guess I could give you a ride. The place I'm going is ten minutes away from the apartment complex."  
  
"Thanks a bunch, Shingo!" exclaimed Usagi. "You're the best!"  
  
"Can I have that in writing?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kai sat in the front seat of Shingo's car next to Shingo.   
  
"Do you mind if I take my hair down? Its starting to hurt my head," asked Kai with a shy smile.   
  
"I'm not surprised, that's a lot of hair. I thought Usagi had a lot of hair, but you have twice as much and its gorgeous," said Shingo. For a moment he wasn't sure why he had just told Kai that he thought she had gorgeous hair...it wasn't like he wanted to go out with her or anything. He shrugged the thought off.  
  
"You care about her a lot, don't you?" asked Kai. Shingo was startled.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Usagi."  
  
"No, I think you've got it all wrong - "  
  
"You two are both scared to admit that you love each other. I can see why. You two will be separated soon, and you want it to be easier," said Kai, with a faraway look on her face.  
  
"How - what - ?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." She pulled out the ribbons that held up her two huge green buns, and slightly wavy hair came cascading down. Shingo couldn't help but do a double take as he looked at her. She was one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen. Kai giggled softly.   
  
"Sorry..." mumble Shingo.  
  
"What about?" asked Kai. Shingo shook his head.   
  
"Nothing." There was a moment of silence, Kai was a very quiet person, who normally wouldn't talk unless spoken to, so it was up to Shingo to start the conversation. "How's the tutoring going?"  
  
"Its ok," she said, unsure what else to say. She didn't want to say anything bad about Usagi's tutoring, like how it was Kai who was doing the tutoring, and Usagi was being tutored.  
  
"I bet you're a strait A student already. Why would they give you to Usagi to tutor? Wouldn't they give tutors to the dumb kids?"  
  
"I'm pretty new here, so they assume I'm dumb."  
  
"Being new sucks."  
  
"That's one way to put it, Shingo," she said with a soft laugh.  
  
They talked and laughed like old friends. They soon reached Kai's apartment complex, and neither were very eager to have the green haired girl get out of the car.  
  
Randomly, or so it seemed, Shingo asked, "What days do you come to be tutored?"   
  
"Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday," said Kai as she hopped out. "Bye, Shingo."  
  
"Goodbye, Kaiki," said Shingo. As he drove off, he muttered, "Damn! Tomorrow's Tuesday!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mamoru and Usagi had had a wonderful dinner at a the grand opening of what was supposed to be one of the best restaurants in Tokyo, there were movie stars and rock stars and nearly every kind of celebrity at the opening. Mamoru had only been able to get passes because his uncle was the head chef.   
  
Now they walked, still attired in their eveningwear (Usagi; a lavender dress and matching shawl and shoes. Mamoru; a dark suit), through a park. The summer night was beautiful, and every single star could be seen. The moon was out, it was very nearly full, and lit up the walk way for them.  
  
"This was a wonderful evening," whispered Usagi to Mamoru. "Thank you so much."  
  
"Anything for you," he whispered. They sat down on a bench, and looked at the stars.   
  
"They're so beautiful," whispered Usagi.  
  
"This is a very beautiful galaxy, kept beautiful by its Senshi," said Mamoru.  
  
"Senshi that most of the citizens don't even believe in," said Usagi with a small sigh.  
  
"Does it matter?" said Mamoru.  
  
Usagi shook her head. "What matters is protecting this star. With you."  
  
"We haven't had to protect it in a long time. Do you think perhaps the galaxy is finally at peace?" asked Mamoru.  
  
"I hope s-" Usagi was interrupted by a scream.   
  
"I jinxed it, didn't I?" said Mamoru.   
  
"Guess so," said Usagi. "Moon, Eternal, Make, UP!"  
  
Eternal Sailor Moon ran off, following the screams. Tuxedo Kamen was not far behind.   
  
They came to a fainted couple underneath a cherry tree. They saw a dark figure running off.  
  
"Hey! You! Get back here!" Eternal Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen ran after the figure. The figure stopped, and turned around to meet them.  
  
The girl had long, long, strait dark blue-black hair. Her skin was deathly pale, and she had dark lips and eyes. Her skirt was navy blue, as was her collar. Her bows, one on the front and one on the back, were a slightly lighter shade of blue. Her gloves, if they could be called that, were black and they went all the way up her arm down to her knuckles. Her pale fingers were bare. She had no boots, only thick dark ribbons that twisted down her legs. Her feet were bare, and the long ribbons had been tied in bows behind her ankles, to keep her from tripping over them, most probably.   
  
"Who are you?" Eternal Sailor Moon asked the girl who looked like death herself.  
  
"I? I am Sailor Eclipse! And just who are you?"  
  
"I'm Eternal Sailor Moon, and I'll not have you doing this to my people and my planet!" cried Eternal Sailor Moon.   
  
"Its not going to be yours for long, Sailor Moon!" said Sailor Eclipse.  
  
"And why's that?"  
  
"TOTAL ECLIPSE!" screamed Sailor Eclipse. A dark ball of what seemed like pure, thick, dead, darkness was flung at Eternal Sailor Moon.   
  
"No!" shouted Tuxedo Kamen, who pushed Eternal Sailor Moon out of the way, not a split second before the ball of darkness reached the spot where his love had been not a moment before. "Why are you doing this? You're - you're a monster!"  
  
The girl ran off, tears streaming down her face.  
  
***Just a nice intro chapter, that's why its not the most exciting chapter in the world ^^***  



	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
The Senshi hadn't had a gathering in as long as any one could remember. The last time they had all been together was probably right around the time they defeated Chaos. They had all gone their separate ways after that, they all seemed to sense that it had been over then, that the world didn't need them any more. It had been a good six years since that battle.  
  
Ami was now studying at Oxford, in England, and hadn't been able to make it back for this meeting on such short notice. Last time the Senshi had heard from her, which had been a few months prior, she was dating (and madly in love with) a fellow student at Oxford, a few years older than her. Usagi was spreading rumors that they were engaged, but, knowing Ami, they'd be dating for quite a while before they married. To quote what Ami once said to Usagi about marriage "A lasting marriage can't be built on a short relationship. The two people must be willing to sacrifice for each other, and the two people need to know each other better than they know themselves and -" She had been cut off by Usagi's snoring, so there the quote ends.   
  
Makoto hadn't gone to college right after high school, because she had met the man of her dreams, supposedly, and wanted to get married right away. Their marriage was short lived, and after a nasty divorce, Makoto had decided to go to culinary school, in hopes of becoming a chef. Being a bride was no longer her top priority, as it had been when she was sixteen. She still lived in Tokyo and managed to keep somewhat in touch with the other Senshi, though they didn't see each other or talk as much as they'd like to.  
  
Rei was now working at the temple full time, and was juggling a few men much older than her. Her grandfather had given up warning his short-tempered granddaughter about having to choose one man, and one man alone. Rei loved working at the temple full time, she just wished that her friends would stop by more often. And, of course she was at this meeting, it was at her temple!  
  
Minako hadn't gone to college, and for a while after high school, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do. Someone mentioned something to her about modeling, and she tried a few small things, just for fun. She was now pursuing a full time modeling career, and was almost never at Tokyo. She was making it big. She was modeling for some of the biggest names in fashion, some stores even paid her to be seen shopping there! She loved being famous, she had always loved being Sailor V and having toys and video games made in her image. The only problem she had with being famous and beautiful is that she couldn't seem to find the right guy, they all wanted her for her looks or money, or both. She had managed to catch a plane back home to Tokyo, she was gladly taking a break from her busy modeling career to be with her best friends. She'd be in later that day, but was not there for the meeting.  
  
Hotaru was attending the same college that Shingo and Usagi both went to. She was going for a degree in medicine. She had changed a lot in six short years. She was now tall, perhaps the tallest of the Senshi, and had long luxurious black hair. She and Shingo went out for a little while, but ended up breaking up because he was, and I quote her, "not mature enough to have a real relationship with...maybe in another few years..." and she was, in Shingo's words, "less exciting than my grandmother" (he later amended this during a fight with his sister, saying "all right, you win. Hotaru is more fun than grandmother, but not much!"). They still went out occasionally, but just as really good friends.   
  
Haruka made it big in racing, as a Formula 1 driver. She raced on tracks all over Europe, and all over the world, for that matter, and was making quite a name for herself. She was currently one of the highest paid athletes on the planet. She'd be into Tokyo later...if it turned out to be a real problem. She had said to Usagi on the phone, "I've got this really huge race tomorrow, I've got to be here for it. You call me if there's a real problem, okay? What's that, Ed? A flat tire? Come on! I paid 600 bucks a pop for those things! Usagi, that was my mechanic, gotta go!" She had hung up the phone before Usagi had said that she thought it was indeed an important matter.  
  
Michiru was a world famous composer and violinist. She got paid well for her playing and for her composing, she kept only a little of the money, most of it she gave to charity. It was one of these charity concerts that brought her to Tokyo, and that's why she managed to be able to be at the meeting. She and Haruka managed to both make it big only because of a huge fight four or five years back, where they split up and walked out on each other, and went their separate ways. They hadn't seen or spoken to each other since, and Michiru agreed to come to the meeting on one condition. "SHE better not be there!"  
  
Neo Queen Serenity, of Crystal Tokyo of the far future, had sent relief for Sailor Pluto at the Gates of Time. It was in fact Setsuna's future (farther future than Crystal Tokyo even) granddaughter who guarded the gates. Setsuna, after learning that she would no longer have to guard the gates, tried to convince her granddaughter that it was a terrible and lonely job, and that there was no way she could really want it. But, the stubborn twelve year old stuck with it, and finally Setsuna gave in, but not before telling her granddaughter "Another hundred years and all you'll want is boys, you'll forget all about this gate!" with a soft smile. Setsuna was now a scientist, who devoted most of her time to the study of outer space; stars, planets, black holes, comets, etc. She worked in Tokyo, so it was easy for her to make it to the meeting.  
  
Usagi was still going through college, so she was still in Tokyo and of course she was at the meeting, it was her idea in the first place! Usagi had matured a lot as she went through college. She was less like the crybaby Sailor Moon, and more like the elegant Neo Queen Serenity she would one day become. Mamoru was just finishing up medical school, and would be out in a couple of months. He was also a little more grown up, though he had always been more serious than his counter part Usagi, who he loved dearly, and who loved him back with a passion.  
  
One by one they arrived...Usagi and Mamoru were the first ones. Usagi and Rei hugged tightly, they hadn't seen each other in months.  
  
"Its been so long!" said Usagi.  
  
"Too long, odango brain!" said Rei with a grin.   
  
Next came Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru. Michiru was staying with them while she was in town.   
  
"Hi every one!" said Usagi. There was lots of hugging and crying and laughing, but there was more to come.  
  
Last was Makoto. She had apparently just come from class, she still had on her chef's hat and apron.  
  
"Oh my gosh! Nearly every one's here!" she said, tears streaming down her face. "It's been nearly forever!" she cried, and she was enveloped by a group hug.   
  
It took nearly an hour for every one to settle down, but no one really cared. It was the first reunion in ages, and by that time tomorrow Minako would be here, and a few days after that Ami. And Haruka...if she decided to show.  
  
"Why'd you call us all together, Usagi?" asked Hotaru, after a time.  
  
"Yeah," asked Makoto, "You sounded urgent on the phone. I have a feeling this isn't just a reunion."  
  
"Well - " began Usagi. "I guess its not, not really..."  
  
"Then what is it?" asked Rei. "Spit it out already!"  
  
"Well, last night, Mamoru and I saw a strange Senshi," said Usagi.  
  
"Huh?" said Setsuna, taking an interest. "What do you mean, 'strange'?"  
  
"What I mean, is that it wasn't any Senshi I knew...she called herself 'Sailor Eclipse'. She knocked out this couple...but then she ran away crying," said Usagi.  
  
"How old was she?" asked Michiru.  
  
"Younger than us, but not a lot," said Mamoru.  
  
"She was so young," said Usagi, "But - but - I don't know how to describe it. Her face seemed ancient...and so full of sorrow...longing..." A far away look passed over Usagi's eyes as she tried to recall that tragic face.  
  
"Usagi..." said Makoto, shaking Usagi slightly. "Usagi - "  
  
"I'm fine, I'm fine," said Usagi, laughing it off. "Must have been Shingo's turn to cook dinner last night."  
  
"What'd the Senshi look like?" asked Rei.  
  
"She had pale skin, the palest I've ever seen, and she had dark black blue hair and eyes..." said Mamoru.  
  
"She looked like a human eclipse," whispered Usagi.   
  
"Usagi, are you sure you're ok?" asked Makoto.  
  
"Yeah, Usagi, you look a little shook up," said Rei. Usagi smiled.  
  
"Thanks guys, but, really, I'm fine," said Usagi.  
  
"If you say so..."  
  
When they could come up with no further clues to the identity of the strange Senshi, the group decided that all of them should stay in town for the next few weeks, just incase this Senshi turned out to be a formidable enemy. After making that decision, the group decided to go out to eat, and spent nearly an hour arguing over where.  
  
It was just like old times.  



	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
The next day was another tutoring session for Kai and Usagi. When it was time for Kai to go home, Shingo conveniently showed up.  
  
"Usagi, if you want to get ready for that stupid ole slumber party thing tonight, I could take her home," said Shingo.   
  
"Thanks Shingo, but that's ok," said Usagi. "The slumber party isn't for another few hours. I have plenty of time."  
  
"Oh. Well, that's ok, I have plans tonight any way. I just thought I'd offer because your driving is terrible and I don't like to see you put someone in danger by driving them all the way across town," he said.  
  
"Your driving's worse!" exclaimed Usagi. "You had to take the test twice!"  
  
"You had to take it three times!"  
  
"That's a lie!"  
  
"Is not!"  
  
"Is too!"  
  
"Is not!"  
  
"Is too!"  
  
Kaiki just laughed softly, wishing she had a brother or sister to fight with. She was all alone...and always had been, for as far back as she could remember.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That night all the Senshi that had so far arrived gathered at Usagi's house for laughing, popcorn, and movies. Halfway through the first movie, that no one was really paying attention to anyhow, Minako rushed in. She looked much different than she had the last time all of them were together. She was thinner and her hair wasn't as long as it had been. It only fell about mid back and it had a slight wave to it...a perm? "Hello, hello, hello!" she said, striking a pose in the doorway. "Did ya miss me?"  
  
"Of course not!" said Usagi with a grin, and she ran to hug her old friend. The others soon followed her example.   
  
"So what's going on exactly? What's so important that you had to drag me from the runways of Paris?" she said with a grin and a laugh. After hearing the story, she turned grave. "A new Senshi? Remember what happened last time when new Senshi started showing up?"  
  
"I remember, all right," said Usagi softly. "Chaos."  
  
"Is it Chaos again?" asked Minako. She was no longer Aino Minako, star of the fashion runways all over the world. She was once more Sailor Venus, leader of the inner Senshi.  
  
"It didn't feel like Chaos," said Usagi. "It felt - it felt - it just felt like another Senshi, and I didn't see any bracelets." Minako nodded.   
  
"Maybe she's just lost, or scared. At any rate, there's nothing we can do tonight, so lets party!" she said. She looked around at the faces of her friends. "Where're Ami and Haruka?" she asked. When she said the name Haruka, Michiru's eyes turned dark for a moment, just a moment, so swift that no one could be sure whether or not it happened.  
  
"Haruka had a big race, and Ami will be here this weekend, she couldn't get away from school on such short notice," said Usagi.  
  
"Ami, Ami, Ami," said Minako with a smile. "Oh well, Ami would have been asleep by ten any way!" she laughed good-naturedly.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The next day Usagi missed class, because she and the others had stayed up until past six, and they slept till past three. Kaiki came over to be tutored, but she was met with a bunch of sleeping girls. Besides them, the house seemed empty. She was at the door, ready to go, when it opened and in walked Shingo.  
  
"Hello," she said softly.  
  
"Hey," he said. "What happened to tutoring?"  
  
"She's asleep," she said with a small, soft laugh.  
  
"Oh yeah, she had that slumber party last night. Don't you think she's a little old for that?" he asked with a grin. Kaiki laughed.  
  
"You're never to old to have fun with people you love," she said. Shingo smiled.   
  
"I guess you're right," said he. "Do you need a ride home?"  
  
"I can walk, its ok, really," said Kai.  
  
"Kai, I insist. It's a long walk back to your house, and it'll be dark. I don't like to think about the type of people who'd be on the street at night," said Shingo. He smiled. "Come on, what have you got to loose?"  
  
"Ok," she said softly with a smile. They got into Shingo's car. Neither spoke for a minute.  
  
"Where do you go to school?" asked Shingo. She named her school. "Hey, cool, that's where I used to go. What grade are you in?"  
  
"10th," she said. "Sophomore."  
  
"I remember having a lot of bad teachers that year," said Shingo. Kaiki laughed. "What's so funny?"  
  
"I have a lot of bad teachers too. Imawa-sensei, he teaches math - "  
  
"I remember him! He looked like a hawk! That nose! Ug! He failed me three quarters in a row, in the last quarter I managed to get a B and get something like a D for the year! Ug!"  
  
"Heh, he's failing me too, that's why I have to get tutored," said Kai.   
  
"He's failing you? You were practically TEACHING Usagi that stuff!"  
  
"I don't do the problems the way he does, or I don't show work, or my ones look like sevens...he always finds some way to take points off."  
  
"He's a terrible teacher. Its people like him who make kids hate all teachers. Wait till you get to college, though, the people there are all so SMART. It's mad cool. My last girlfriend, Tomoe Hotaru, was like a genius. She wasn't much fun though, she never liked to go out for dinner or go to movies or stuff. She always wanted to stay home and study. But man, was she pretty. She's more than just smart and pretty, though. She loved to have these long conversations with me, when I was feeling serious, that was, and, man, that girl was DEEP. You get a lot more people like that in college than you do in high school, which is really cool. Me and Hotaru finally broke up because she told me I was to immature and then I told her dating her was like dating my grandmother and we got into a huge fight." He grinned. "She threw one of my mom's vases at me. I moved in time and it smashed against the wall, rather than my head." Kaiki laughed and so did Shingo. "We're still best friends, so its all cool." There was a pause. "You got a boy friend?" She shook her head.  
  
"I don't know too many people at school," she said.  
  
"That's gotta be rough, being the new kid, huh? Especially someone as quiet as you," said Shingo. Kai smiled, a sad sort of smile, grateful for Shingo's understanding.  
  
"You have no idea."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Haruka sat slumped on the couch of her posh house in Belgium, near one of her favorite racetracks. There was no race that day, she just didn't want to go see the others. She couldn't face Michi again...not after that day...that huge fight over a tiny mistake that was blown so far out of proportion...  
  
**flashback**  
  
"Haruka! You promised we'd go to the symphony tonight!" Michiru had been on the couch in the living room, all dressed up, gorgeous in her finery, but tears stained her pretty face. Haruka had walked in, dirty from racetracks where she and a few friends had been fooling around.  
  
"Michi - I'm so sorry - "  
  
"Haruka, this is the third time you've skipped going out with me to go racing with your stupid boyfriends! I can't stand it!"  
  
"I just get so excited when I race...I forget...you've been late to races of mine because of your violin stuff before - "  
  
"You forgot me? Haruka, a relationship involves two people! Not me waiting at home for hours on end waiting for you to get back from your stupid races!"  
  
"My races are stupid, eh?" said Haruka. "Well, maybe I don't want to go to the stupid symphony and fall asleep by eight every Saturday night. Maybe that's why I go racing!"  
  
"I cannot believe you just said that, Tenoh Haruka!" Haruka was about to apologize, but was interrupted by Michi. "I go to every one of those stupid races with you! Every one! You don't think I'm bored to tears?"  
  
"Why didn't you just say something?"  
  
"Because I love you, Haruka! That's what love is about!"  
  
"But I love you too - "  
  
"If you loved me you wouldn't forget about me every Saturday night!" Michiru ran into her room and slammed the door. Haruka spent the night out on the couch. The next day, Michiru was no where to be found, and neither was Haruka...  
  
...It was such a small thing, thought Haruka, I could have fixed it. I could have apologized rather than keep the fight going...it was all my fault...I didn't meant any of it...I loved her and her music...  
  
Haruka sighed and shook her head sadly, popping another potato chip in her mouth. She grabbed the framed picture of Michiru that she always kept on her coffee table, among some others (Usagi, Ami, Makoto, Minako, Hotaru, Chibiusa, Setsuna), and stared at it for a long time. She shook her head. "Its too late, Haruka, you lost her forever," she muttered. "You lost her forever and its all your fault."  
  
The phone rang.  
  
"Oh, hi, Usagi. What? Oh no, I really can't make it. I won that race I told you about, and now I have to go onto semi finals and then there's finals...I wont be able to get into Tokyo for a while. Tell every one I said 'Hi'." Click. Haruka hung up.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Brian, I'm sorry, but I really have to go," said Ami, packing her bags. Her boyfriend stood beside her.  
  
"When will you be back? After vacation?"  
  
Ami sighed. "I wish I knew, Bri. I really wish I did." She looked at her boyfriend, who she loved more than she ever though she could love any one. He was really tall, much, much taller than her. He had dark blackish hair that glinted blue in the light. He had dark eyes, with glasses partially hiding them, but he was far from nerdy looking.  
  
He studied his girlfriend. She wore her glasses now. Her hair, which had grown since they first met, was up in a ponytail high on her head. Her large blue eyes stared at him, pleading for him to understand. He picked up a shirt she had forgotten to put in the suitcase and neatly placed it on top of the already packed clothes. "You'll call every day?" Ami smiled and hugged her boyfriend tightly, surprising him.  
  
"Thanks for understanding, thank you so much."  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four   
  
That Friday, Usagi and Minako (who was staying with Usagi) went to meet Ami (who's mother couldn't come to pick her up because she had to see patients at the office) at the airport that Friday evening. The plane came in at four thirty, right when tutoring ended, and Shingo was conveniently around to drive Kaiki home so the other two could go pick up Ami.   
  
The drive was the same as usual, Kai and Shingo enjoyed each other's company. After dropping Kai off, Shingo was waiting for a red light to change so he could pull out of the parking lot, when he saw Hotaru crossing the road right in front of him. He rolled down a window, and called to her,  
  
"Hey, Hotaru-chan!" She looked up, startled at the sound of her own name. When she saw it was Shingo, she walked over to the open window.  
  
"What're you doing at this side of town?" she asked with a smile, hopping into the passenger seat beside him.   
  
"Looking for you," he said with a grin. "I miss you," he said. He tried to kiss her, but she pulled away.  
  
"No way, Shingo. A nice kiss on the cheek, like you'd give your grandmother!" she said with a smile.  
  
He laughed and kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"Its not me you miss, you know," she said. "You just don't like being alone." He sighed. His ex-girlfriend knew him too well.   
  
"Yeah, you're right," he said with a sigh. As the light turned green and they pulled out of the parking lot, Hotaru patted him on the shoulder.   
  
"Don't worry, you'll find someone. Just keep looking! Meanwhile, you can treat me to a milkshake!" said Hotaru with a giggle. Shingo smiled.  
  
"Is that the only reason you still hang out with me, because you know that I'll buy you whatever you want?"  
  
"Oh no!" said Hotaru, feigning a grave and serious look, "that's only part of it, silly!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ami-chan!" exclaimed Minako and Usagi as they ran to embrace her simultaneously.   
  
"Minako and Usagi -chan!" she said with tears running down her face. She smiled through her tears. "I've missed you so much! How could I ever leave this place?"  
  
Minako spoke. "I've been asking that same question ever since I got back, Ami-chan, and I still don't know why I ever left."  
  
"Its so strange...being here, back to doing the old thing. I thought it was over. But, you know what, in a way, I'm glad its not."  
  
"Its what brought us all together," said Usagi with a warm smile and a hug to both her friends. "Come on you guys, lets bring Ami home."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Shingo had been alone for some time on the park bench. Hotaru had left, but had promised to call later. Even though he loved Hotaru like a sister, he was glad to be alone. He needed to think.  
  
Why suddenly were all of his sisters friends coming home?  
  
This was the question that plagued his mind. He knew he shouldn't have cared, but it was just too weird. Last night, he had thought he had heard them talking about Senshi and Sailors and stuff. He shook his head, he didn't understand. Perhaps he didn't want to.  
  
He tried to remember, remember any strange things that might have happened in the past, pointing to something strange about his sister. Besides all the obvious, of course. Like her odangos and her grades and her friends and the way she acted...  
  
He recalled, for some reason, a pink haired girl, and then a red haired one. They both wore Usagi's stupid odangos.   
  
"Where - where are they from?" He sighed and turned his thoughts to other things.  
  
'Kai said that Usagi-baka and I would be separated soon, but why? If that's true...perhaps...perhaps I should take some time to know odango brain before whatever happens, happens...' He sighed. 'How do I even know that Kai was right?'   
  
Suddenly, he heard some strange noises, it sounded like shouting and fighting. Somebody was in trouble! Shingo dashed off to try and help, it was his first instinct.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They drove Ami home, laughing and crying and talking and reminiscing about all the old times. Suddenly, up ahead, they saw a scene of total destruction. The side of a building was caved in, there was a fire starting up in that same building. People were running everywhere screaming and crying. The senshi stopped the car and simultaneously transformed. They rushed to the scene.   
  
"Oh, Sailor Moon, I was so hoping you'd show up," said Sailor Eclipse. "And I think Shingo was too."  
  
"Why's that?" asked Sailor Moon, confused. She looked around to see where Sailor Eclipse was, and found her on top of another building, holding Shingo out over the ledge. Sailor Moon gasped. "What do you want, Eclipse?"  
  
"To make your planet like mine, Moon. My planet was destroyed years and years ago, and if mine was, then yours surely has no right to be alive either."  
  
"But why - "  
  
"Moon, everything I ever loved was destroyed. I want you to know what that feels like!"  
  
Suddenly she let go of Shingo, and the poor boy went tumbling into space.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
The force at work here was certainly not that of Chaos. This force didn't take star seeds, and it didn't care about power. All it cared about was death, and nothing else. Death to anything it could get it's hands on, a planet, a blade of grass, a person, a mosquito. Death.  
  
The way it worked was a simple method, scarily simple, yet so terribly gruesome. It would destroy a planet, leaving a sole survivor, preferably a Senshi. This Senshi would be pure at first, the way all Senshi start out, but this evil death thirsty force could change that easily. The Senshi, with everything she ever loved dead and gone, could easily be corrupted and twisted. This evil force knew how to get to a person, to reach inside their head and leave nothing but darkness and emptiness.   
  
Perhaps now you have a better idea of what happened to poor, poor Eclipse...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Shingo fell for about six stories (it wasn't the tallest of buildings he was thrown from). He luckily managed to avoid hitting the fire escapes, and landed in a dumpster, which had (again, luckily) not been emptied that day.  
  
Sailor Moon and her friends rushed to the dumpster.  
  
"Shingo?" Sailor Moon called. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Huh? Who're you?" he said.  
  
"Sailor Moon," said Sailor Moon.  
  
"Whoa..." he said, impressed. Sailor Moon sighed exasperatedly.   
  
"You've got to get out of here, okay?" said Sailor Moon.  
  
"But what about you?" asked Shingo.  
  
"Me? Oh, I've gotten out of some sticky situations before." Sailor Moon winked.  
  
"Ok, Sailor Moon," said Shingo and shakily got out of the dumpster. "If you say so..."  
  
"I do," said Sailor Moon and she and the Senshi helped him out. He ran off, and Sailor Moon thought her little brother would be safe. She turned to face Eclipse, who had jumped off the top of the building and landed perfectly on her feet. She strode calmly up to Sailor Moon, and hissed in her ear,  
  
"I'd watch him if I were you, big sister's not always going to be there to hold little Shingo's hand." She dashed off, and though the Senshi tried to chase her, they could not seem to find her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Usagi was on the phone, in her room, sobbing. "Haruka, please, you've got to come! This Senshi - this Senshi nearly killed Shingo! Please, we need all the Senshi here!"  
  
"Usagi, I just can't - "  
  
Rei snatched the phone away from Usagi and ripped Haruka a new one.   
  
"Fine!" exclaimed Haruka. "Fine! I'll be there on the next flight, happy?"   
  
"Yes!" chimed in all the inner Senshi, who were gathered in Usagi's room. Haruka grunted in reply and hung up.  
  
Haruka sunk back into her couch and sighed. She couldn't believe she was going back. She thought she had left her life as a Senshi the day she had left Michiru.  
  
Michiru...  
  
Haruka sighed again. A sad, heartbroken sigh.  
  
"What am I gonna say to her?"  
  
"Nothing, Haruka," she answered herself. "Its over, move on already."  
  
If only she could...if only she could...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Usagi wiped her tears away. Haruka was coming, good. With every one there, it would make everything better. It had too.  
  
"I'm glad we got that out of the way!" said Makoto.   
  
"So'm I!" said Usagi. "Thanks Rei!" she said with a grin, remember the way Rei had yelled at Haruka.  
  
"No problem. I'm experienced in things like this!" she said.  
  
"Hey you guys!" said Minako. "With Haruka in town, you know what this means!"  
  
"No...no I don't..." said Usagi.  
  
"Its time to get her and Michiru back together!" said Minako.  
  
"How do we go about doing that?" asked Makoto. Minako grinned almost sinisterly.   
  
"Don't worry, we'll think of something..."  



	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five  
  
Love is in the air ^.^  
  
Haruka arrived unannounced the next day, and checked into an expensive hotel room. She called Usagi, asking her when they were going to get together.  
  
"How about tonight at around six in the park?" asked Usagi. Haruka was surprised - the senshi had never met there before...  
  
"Um... Sure..."  
  
"And could you bring some candles and a blanket? We were - er - going to have a potluck picnic. Is that okay?"  
  
"Should I bring some food too?"  
  
"Ah - yeah! That'd be great!"  
  
"Alright then, see you tonight!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Michiru wandered Setsuna's house - her house, too, really. Hotaru's as well. She was surprised at how much Hotaru had grown, she hadn't seen in her forever, though they constantly emailed. There was one more owner of the house - one who Michiru would not name... Michiru was still devoted to her, deep down... she would still die for her... but she would not die for Michiru... she did not love Michiru... (or so Michiru thought)  
  
"Michiru?" said Setsuna. Michiru was surprised - she had found herself in her and Haruka's old room, and hadn't even noticed.  
  
"I'm sorry, I was looking for something - "  
  
"Or someone?"  
  
Michiru's breath was caught in her throat for a moment. Finally, she spoke. "No..."  
  
"Alright..." There was a moment of silence. "The others are going to be meeting in the park tonight, you'll have to go on your own because Hotaru is going strait from class and I'm going strait from the observatory - is that okay?" Michiru nodded.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"I'm off now, and Hotaru wont be back. The fridge is full, help yourself. Its just as much your fridge as mine."  
  
Michiru smiled. She missed the days living in this house, the outer senshi, all a family. They had always been so close, Setsuna, Haruka, Hotaru, and Michiru. Michiru missed it... she missed it so much...  
  
"Alright then, bye," said Setsuna, troubled by Michiru's far away look.  
  
Michiru nodded. "Bye."  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
"She believed it?!?!" said Minako with a grin, jumping up and down. Usagi had just hung up on Michiru. Usagi nodded. "Hahaha!! This is so perfect!!"  
  
"It is! It is!!"  
  
"Should we go and watch??"  
  
A few years ago, Usagi might have taken Mina-chan up on this offer, but she had matured a great deal, and shook her head. "I think - I think they need to be alone."  
  
Minako smiled. "They love each other so much!! I can't wait to see how it turns out!!"  
  
Usagi grinned. She was so happy - she cared so much about Michiru and Haruka. She couldn't wait to see what happened...  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Meanwhile, another conspirator was taking a leaf out of her comrades' book and bringing two people together.  
  
"Hotaru, where are you taking me?" asked Shingo. He was blindfolded and quite confused. She laughed.  
  
"You'll see."  
  
She led him for a few more feet before seating him on a bench. "You stay here!" she said. He grunted a reply.  
  
About ten minutes later he was tired of waiting, and he wanted to see what was going on. He took off the blindfold and looked around. He was in the middle of a maze, one of those made out of hedges.  
  
"Hotaru!" he shouted. "You've really done it this time!!"  
  
"Shingo? Shingo, is that you?" came a familiar voice. He almost laughed.  
  
"Kai? How'd you get in here?"  
  
"Hotaru!"  
  
"You know Hotaru?"  
  
"She lives right near me!" Shingo smiled.  
  
"Keep talking - I'll come find you."  
  
"What shall I talk about?" asked Kai as Shingo began to make his way towards the sound of her voice.  
  
"About anything!"  
  
"Have you ever seen the movie 'Gladiator'?"  
  
"Only like five times!"  
  
"It was so sad! I couldn't stand all the war scenes! I cannot stand death!"  
  
They went on like this for twenty some odd minutes, until Shingo rounded a corner and there was Kai! She wore a short blue skirt with a white teeshirt. Shingo thought she looked positively gorgeous! He grinned.  
  
"I guess we found each other!"  
  
"I guess we did!"  
  
"Now to find our way out of this maze!"  
  
As they began walking through the maze, almost subconsciously, instinctively, even, Shingo reached out with his hand. And, to his surprise, a smaller, more timid hand entered his grip. He clasped it firmly, and smiled as he said,  
  
"Just around the corner - I'm almost sure of it!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was dusk, and the park was quite eerie, long shadows stretching here and there, golden sunlight coming through the trees, distant from the horizon. Michiru and Haruka sat in a grassy clearing, blanket spread out, candles lit.  
  
"I thought this was a little strange..." said Michiru. Haruka was confused.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Its obvious that they're trying to get us back together."  
  
"Oh..." Haruka hadn't found it that obvious, but now that Michiru mentioned it, she knew that it must be true. She searched for something to say - something that would make Michiru want to be with Haruka again, something sweet, something nice - "Well, we wouldn't want muffin head's plan to be all in vain, would we?"  
  
Michiru's eyes widened - had Haruka just said that she wanted to get back together? Michiru waited to see if she would continue.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Michi. You know I love you and your music... and everything about you. I love your swimming and your painting and I love your laugh and I love your smile and I love it when you love me and I even love it when you yell at me for using your toothbrush."  
  
"Oh Haruka!!" Michiru flung her arms around Haruka's neck and Haruka hugged her close.  
  
"Does this mean that you'll take me back?"  
  
Michiru ruffled Haruka's hair. "Of course I will, dummy!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Finally they stumbled out of the maze, Shingo was grinning. "I'm gonna get Hotaru!"  
  
"Hehe, I'll help!"  
  
Shingo collapsed on the lawn outside of the exit of the maze. He still held Kai's hand, and pulled her down next to him. For a moment Kai was wary, but she found that she had never felt more at home putting her head on Shingo's chest, listening to his heart beat, having him put his big, strong arm around her, pulling her closer... and the stars had never seemed quite so bright. 


End file.
